This story began about 7 a.m. ~ Dennis and I got up and both went out to the bunk house ... to use the bathroom. It was quite chilly last night and so Dennis closed the door tight (which we haven't done since we built it ... too hot!!) When we went to leave ... the door was locked!!!
We were locked inside!
It didn't take us long to realize this was not good ... we were not expecting any visitors today ... the windows are too 'tiny' ... we had removed all the tools when David's family came to stay AND Dennis is the one who built the thing ... so it's made well!!We had no way out.
Trying not to panic we surveyed what we had ... a couple of pieces of lumber that were stacked in the corner of the bathroom and a piece of rope. (that was IT) After a few minutes of contemplation, Dennis decided to go for the weakest point on the shed (I was thinking ... we may be here for days!!). He used one 2x4 as a hammer and the other as a wedge and started pounding on the piece of siding above the door. It wasn't easy ... but he finally got it loose (and probably broke/smashed his little finger in the process~it has turned black and is very swollen). With me propping him up he scaled the wall and reached outside and tried to hook the latch with the rope (it slid in further and made it worse). Then he had another idea ... he used the kids hiking stick (which Dallin had put in the bunkhouse for safe keeping ~ thanks Dallin) .. and he was able to pull up the latch and slide it out -- we were FREE!!!
This is the picture from the inside looking out ... he dropped several wedges trying to pry it open ... but luckily we had a couple to spare!!
This is what it looked like from the outside. He was still pretty high up - good thing the hiking stick worked ... it would of been a huge drop (and much more damage).
And this is the notorious LOCK!!! (Honestly, when I first tried to open it I thought someone was playing a trick on us ... but there was no one out there!!) When I opened the door for us to go in I didn't pull the latch all the way back (the lock was on it) and so when we slammed the door tight ... it slid just enough to lock us inside.
Here are the tools he used to get us out!! Pretty amazing, I must say. I kept saying "What if this had happened to someone else ... and not us?" I am so blessed to have a resourceful, strong, determined husband ... I have been telling him all day how fortunate I am!!
And here is the repaired bunkhouse ... it just needs a few touch up paint spots and it will be good as new. (And the LOCK has been repaired as well ... new rules applied ... and we will not let this happen again!!) The whole ordeal was only about 40 minutes ... but it certainly could of been much worse. We did learn a valuable lesson!! (When I phoned Wendy later to check in I asked her what she would do if we didn't come home when we said we would ... and she said she would call her brothers and come looking for us ... YES!! We all need a back up plan.)
6 comments:
Oh my gosh I couldn't believe what I was reading. I would have freaked out. But Uncle Dennis is like McGyver and can do anything!! Thanks for sharing your story!
Oh no!! Who would have thought that was possible?! WOW! Lesson learned, that is for sure. Thank goodness it ended well and with minimal damage to the bunkhouse. Glad you made it home!!! ;)
Even after hearing your story first hand, reading it again makes me so nervous... and grateful for Uncle Dennis and his abilities to fix pretty much anything... WOW!
I hate learning lessons the hard way though... but glad you guys now have new rules in place so it won't happen again!
I'm SO glad that Dad is SO resourceful and was able to figure out how to get you out of there! And yes, I would have had someone go look for you! :) But I think you should start bringing the phone with you so you could call and the off chance this happens again.
Too too scary - Laugh now because it is getting to be funny very quickly. I love the blow by blow with pictures. Keep that walking stick in a safe place!
I guess if that haooened when we were in there there would have been someone to save us...what are the chances??? Thank goodness we left those walking sticks out there,if only to keep them from hitting each other at home with them!
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